Any other DVC members have code withdrawl?

[Terry S]

I am a new DVC member and when the new codes came out today I felt like I should be calling to get a good deal but didn't need to. It felt like I was missing something. I wanted to call CRO just to see if the resort that I would have been staying at had a discount????

[Granny]

Terry....don't be doing that to yourself! Now you can be spending more time planning other intricate details of your vacation without worrying about saving money on accommodations!

And I'll bet the resort you would have been staying at doesn't have the same amenities and room as your DVC home.

It may be tempting to play "what if", but you've committed to great vacation accommodations....don't look back now!! :D :D

[Simba's Mom]

I'm going through it too. But I just keep trying to tell myself that it's nothing more than habit (which I honestly think it is), and habits can be hard to break.

[SamSam]

I had been trying to avoid the resort boards since becoming a DVC member, but for some reason today I checked it out.
NEW CODES!!!! I had to remind myself that I have the best deal there is......BCV's. Maybe it'll seem real after we make our first trip home. :) :)

[Johnnie Fedora]

We often plan a stay starting on Thurs or Fri. We still try to use codes for a Thur thru Sat at All Stars or sometimes a concierge stay at the Poly or AKL, then stay five or more night at DVC. We don't do this every trip, only on some. But we don't get freaked if we don't get a code. After all we've got the best code already D-V-C.;)

[Laurabearz]

Your not alone Terry....... I too feel your pain. We are also new heavy DVC owners, plus AP holders............. UGH

But I can tell you this........ For a treat, since we got such a good deal on our first resale purchase, we spent 4 days at the BC (not the villas) and then 5 days at the Poly and by the end of our trip we really wished we had that two bedroom space, laundry, two bathrooms, etc.

It was nice to check out of the Poly (LV concierge) with a zero balance due though..........

As someone mentioned above, some use the codes for the first night or two of their stay. That works well for a lot of people but for us, since we own 870 points, it just doesnt jive......... BUT with 870 points we also feel that we have the comfort of using some of them for a couple of nights in the Disney collection, without feeling too guilty. ;) Then retreating to our wonderful home away from home resorts.........

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh DVC the best of ALL worlds!

[Hilary]

LOL! Yes, I get the same 'code withdrawal' :crazy:

But then I just feel grateful that I don't have to make the CRO call.......

[trishy]

The codes are still useful for us. We saved a bundle when we broke up our VWL & BW stay with an AKL weekend stay. What a blast that was and a bargain, too.

[Tagrel]

My name's Tagrel, and I'm a code-a-holic.

Got AP's this year and we've been kicking around the idea of a Christmas spent in WDW. Well even if our points WEREN'T allocated for the next 4 years :) those point tables for Christmas week are a killer.

Enter the new codes. We are now spending 12/21 - 12/29 (Holiday season) at YC for $179 per night (Std View)! (Rack rate for that period is $434!) Never been to the world anytime but August, so REALLY looking forward to Christmas Decorations, events and cool temps! Crowds don't bother us... We have almost 40 years to 'do it all'!

So, I find the codes a nice ENHANCEMENT to my DVC! Yeah, thats it - an ENHANCEMENT! :D

[DVC-Don]

Codes and room discounts are now a distant bad memory, and fading fast. Now I just concentrate on airline sales.

[DebbieB]

I just played the code game! We have 1 night at CBR in December before moving to BWV for 6 nights (planned to arrive at BWV on Saturday but could not get frequent flyer tickets, so we are flying down Friday). Original rate was $133, got Disney Club in May for $106, just got the code for $85 (all plus tax). With tax $94.35, not bad!

[Terry S]

Thanks all, at least I am not alone. Thanks also for the reminder that the codes are for those staying in "regular" rooms. I haven't been home my first time yet but I can imagine after having my kids in a different room I won't want to stay anywhere else.

Although, the idea of going to WDW at X-mas time is a real good one, do those codes work on 1 bedrooms?

[Disney Doll]

I can understand how you can get "Code Withdrawal", but then do what we do. If we are going on a trip that is going to include a weekend(when the DVC points are higher)we stay the weekend at a resort, and then move on Sunday or Monday to the DVC property to finish out our stay. It's not a huge pain to move(Bell Services does it for you actually), you get the "flavor" of the resort, you get the convenience of the DVC, and you get the "rush" to get a discount with a code.

I am currently waiting for the Janury 2003 codes to arrive, as we have a 9 days trip planned with a group of 5. The first 3 days of the trip are tentatively booked for CB, but I am paying rack rate right now, which will not do! The last 6 days are planned for a 2BR in the BCV. I am actually hoping for a decent rate at the Poly, as we have never stayed there and would love to!!! The codes are out for up until Christmas, so I know it's just a matter of time!:bounce: :Pinkbounc

[Laurabearz]

Originally posted by Terry S


Although, the idea of going to WDW at X-mas time is a real good one, do those codes work on 1 bedrooms?


Our first stay at a DVC property was @ OKW (2 bedroom) in Jan 2002. Cash ressie.........

Rack was 489
first code 359
last code I got 289 a night the same amount if we had been AP holders I was siked.......... and HOOKED on having a seperate bedroom for the girls to sleep in.

I know when I booked the villa I was really freaking until the codes came out..... I couldnt justify over 500 bucks a night (when ya add taxes) for a hotel room at Disney (yeah I know a villa isnt a hotel ROOM... but you understand) Now I have the joy of using my points, no fear of any major price (point) increase, and spend my free time planning our next trips (can ya tell from my siggy?)

Now if only I could find RT airfare from Chicago leaving the exact time I want for 150 bucks a person............ I would be in true DVC heaven!

[MardiGrasDVC]

My first reaction was the same as yours ... I wanted to call and take advantage of those good deals! :) But then I remembered that we're spending the equivalent of $75.09/night for our 8 nights in a BCV Studio. That beats any of those coupon deals, and there's no sales tax!!

(I calculate the $75.09 by multiplying my "price per point" by the number of points used on this trip. I get my "price per point" by adding up my original DVC purchase price plus all the maintenance fees through 2042, then dividing by the total number of points I will have through 2042. My price per point is $4.87.)

[DisneyAl]

What do you mean by codes?

[Terry S]

Okay, I just called. My husband and I have both been saying that "one of these years we will go at Christmas time". But I just don't have enough points right now. (I know, I know, I have 800, but they are all allocated this year.) So, I just called and I can get a 1 bedroom at BCV 12/20 - 12/30 for $299 a night plus tax. This just might be doable. I will have to talk to the DH when he get home tonight. WDTC put it on a 10 day hold with no deposit.

[Candace]

Can one of you give me the phone number to call to book using these codes? I am staying Christmas week at OKW on points, but I have a friend trying to book for her family at one of the deluxe hotels. I haven't called anywhere but MS in so long that I don't remember the numbers for CRO or WDTC. Oh, and which one should she call ----CRO or WDTC? Thanks

[ralphd]

Glad we don't have to worry about codes!!!!!!!!!

ralphd:cool: :cool: :cool: :cool:

[Jacksmom99]

Since becomming "grown ups" DH and I have only stayed at DVC resorts either with our own points or with the uncle that got us hooked in the first place. Our honeymoon was a gift form FIL. Sooooo...... we have never made any other kind of reservations other than DVC. I would love to do as others suggested and pay cash sometimes for those point costly Fri & Sat nights. Also, DH has dreamed of staying at the Contempory since he was a kid and I want to sample all of the deluxe resorts. :D So, how does one find out about codes????

Thanks

[SamSam]

jacksmom, go to http://www.mousesavers.com/index.html, she lists all the latest codes and the costs per night at each resort.
You can also check on the DIS Resort forum. Good luck!

[Terry S]

The codes are available right her on the DIS. Here is the link. http://www.wdwinfo.com/discounts/code1.htm You can call WDW at 407-WDISNEY. The codes are not always around, this year has been unusual.

[erikthewise]

Tee--hee! That's why we joined at near-minimum points -- so we could still have the joy of using an occasional code! Besides there are so many of the other resorts we haven't tried yet, it would be a shame to give them up entirely!

So we're spending 5 days at BCV, and a couple days at AKL using a code! Best of both worlds.

[Eeyore2U]

Codes shmodes!!! :p ;)

I'll take planning with points any time!

[Lesley]

As much as I'd love to have enough points to stay at DVC whenever I want and to use points for Disney Collection resorts....well, we have 200 points. That's it for the time being (though in the future we plan to double that....at least!) We bought thinking that we'd alternate studio stays with 1br stays...and now we've decided we'd like to do more 1br and 2br stays!

We like the other resorts, even though living without a full kitchen gets difficult once spoiled by DVC. We had planned to stay at the Polynesian for a few nights in December and were waiting to get a good rate....so I booked it yesterday at $179! Same rate I got in 2000 with a postcard. We're going to MVMCP one of the nights we'll be there, so the convenience can't be beat! And we've decided to try the luau too!

Though codes/discount rates aren't the be all, end all like they used to be for us....we appreciate them. Our rule is "never pay rack rate". And as erikthewise has said....there are so many other resorts to try! I think that Dec. will be our first trip where we won't be trying out a new resort!

Oh and btw..I was told AP rates for that time come out on Sunday...but the code rate was better! Great cm at CRO worked hard for me yesterday!

[Maistre Gracey]

I don't get it. :confused:

If code rates are a better deal than points, why do people buy DVC? After all, there are always codes if you are patient.

When my wife and I bought DVC, we figured everything we wanted to do (cruise, Poly Concierge, VB, VWL 2br, ect...), and planned enough points to do this twice a year. We then compared this price to our average PAP rate we get at The Poly, and DVC came out ahead.

I highly doubt we will do anything "cash" again.

That being said, we did not buy DVC for price, but rather lifestyle. :cool:

[erikthewise]

Codes are generally a better deal than points on non-DVC resorts. If you never want to stay at non-DVC resorts, or you're not interested in using your points efficiently (lifestyle not price, or enough points you don't need to worry about it), then you don't need to worry about codes.

As to why people buy DVC rather than just using codes, I think the short answers are
-- They want to stay in DVC resorts! Codes are not better here.
-- DVC membership pays for itself after a certain number of years.
-- Resort rates, even with codes, will continue to increase.
I bought DVC for these reasons in spite of being a big code fan.

What follows is directed at those who DO sometimes want to stay at non-DVC resorts, and ARE interested in using points efficiently. Others can ignore it.

If you examine the 2002 point charts for non-DVC WDW resorts, the weekday points are a pretty good match for rack rates if points are valued at $10 each. I know not everyone agrees with this valuation but the match is too good for coincidence; I think DVC must have had it in mind when making the charts. (I know that DVC seasons do not exactly match resort seasons and this muddies the issue somewhat.)

This means that if rates well below rack rates are available, cash is the better option. What do I mean by this? Let's look at an example.

If one stays at the Polynesian resort Garden View in Value/Adventure season, the rack rate is $299 + 11% tax = $331.89. It requires 31 points (weekdays), and this comparison yields a value of $10.71 per point. Not bad.

But suppose that instead you compare to a code rate of $179 + 11% tax = $198.69. This comparison yields a value of $6.41 per point. Most of us like to think our points are worth more than that, so you may want to pay cash in this situation and save your points until you can get a better value for them, e.g. when staying at a DVC resort.

Weekends are even worse, as the same room requires 56 points, so comparison to rack rate yields $5.93 per point, and comparison to code rate yields $3.55 per point, perhaps not even covering annual fees.

[colleen costello]

Hey Terry! I am "official" now -- I can post, so here goes.

We used points to stay at BCV July 1-4, then OKW July 4-8. I couldn't use points any earlier than that as BCV wasn't open for business. I was half packed by May and ultimately convinced DH to leave a day early. I "shopped around" and found a code for Coronado Springs. We enjoyed a night there for $114 (no view guaranteed but we lucked into a great view of a quiet pool) and had a lovely evening together before the "real vacation" began.

Coronado Springs was really nice, but since I had never been there before, I might never have tried it but for the "sale." I also would not "waste" points on an extra night -- it doesn't seem worth it when you can get a room at such a good rate. My goal is to spend MORE time with Mickey, not save money. I want to get all the value I can out of my points, so I think "add-ons" like ours are a good idea! :)

[Maistre Gracey]

Originally posted by erikthewise

...If one stays at the Polynesian resort Garden View in Value/Adventure season, the rack rate is $299 + 11% tax = $331.89. It requires 31 points (weekdays), and this comparison yields a value of $10.71 per point. Not bad.

But suppose that instead you compare to a code rate of $179 + 11% tax = $198.69. This comparison yields a value of $6.41 per point. Most of us like to think our points are worth more than that, so you may want to pay cash in this situation and save your points until you can get a better value for them, e.g. when staying at a DVC resort...
Erik, I completely understand your thought process. I suppose the difference in opinion is, as you said, I put a different value on points. I figure approx $5.55/point. This is point cost divided by 40, plus the cost of todays annual fees.

I just booked three days Poly Concierge for 190 points. One night was a weekend. This would be the average equivelent of $351.50/night (including the weekend night). It should be noted that this has NO TAX! With the tax taken out, this would be a room rate of $316.67 for Poly Concierge. The cost of just weekdays, would be the equivelent of $250/night.

I think this is a good rate for Poly Concierge. JMO! :cool:

[colleen costello]

Hi guys. I am trying to see if my new icon is appearing... bear wiht me!

[Jacksmom99]

Thanks for the links and info everyone. I think that I would only take advantage of codes for a good deal on a weekend night or for a special occaision. We go down on our anniversary every year and usually have at least one grandparent with us. DH and I are planning to sneak away for one night by ourselves next year ;) He really wants to stay in the Contempory Tower so I'll keep an eye on the codes when they come out for next summer. Other than that I could never part with my DVC stays. I love them!!!!!

[Terry S]

Hi Again Colleen and welcome to the DIS!